The French Government has banned the use of facial recognition technology at the Paris Olympics in 2024 due to French privacy laws.
Biometric facial scanning was widely used as part of the security measures at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Officials in Paris had called for the use of facial recognition technology after a clash between Liverpool fans and police led to criticism of how the matter spiralled out of control.
Speaking to Le Parisienne, Minister of Sport Amélie Oudéa-Castéra said pending legislation covering security for the Olympics will preclude the use of facial scan technology.
“Currently, the legislative provisions concerning security do not provide for these devices,” Oudéa-Castéra told Le Parisienne.
That is not to say Paris will not lean on security technology with as many as 400 extra video surveillance cameras installed on the city’s streets which “will be able to detect the presence of an object abandoned by its owner on a public highway”.
